Method and system for collecting information from computer systems based on a trusted relationship

ABSTRACT

A method and system for retrieving data from devices in a way that seeks to preserve privacy and ensure the integrity of the retrieved data is provided. A retrieval system is implemented on a network of devices that communicate with each other via a secure communications link. Each device is directly connected to one or more “friend” devices that it trusts. The retrieval system operates by forwarding a request for data from one friend device to another friend device. Each friend device may optionally add data to the request until all the requested data is added. The request with the retrieved data is returned to the device that initiated the request.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.60/545,799, filed on Feb. 19, 2004, entitled “FRIENDS TROUBLESHOOTINGNETWORK: TOWARDS PRIVACY-PRESERVING, AUTOMATIC TROUBLESHOOTING,” andU.S. Provisional Application No. 60/547,607, filed on Feb. 24, 2004,entitled “METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR COLLECTING INFORMATION FROM COMPUTERSYSTEMS BASED ON A TRUSTED RELATIONSHIP,” which are hereby incorporatedby reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The described technology relates generally to retrieving informationfrom peer computer systems.

BACKGROUND

An ever-increasing number of applications (i.e., computer software) withvarious features are available to users of personal computers. Users cantailor the operation of these applications to suit their needs byspecifying various configuration parameters. For example, a browserapplication may have a configuration parameter that provides a URL of aweb page that is displayed initially whenever the browser applicationstarts (i.e., a “home page”). The browser application may also haveconfiguration parameters that identify programs to be invoked to processcertain types of content (e.g., a “jpeg” file) and that specifypasswords to be used when the application connects to various servers.The values of the configuration parameters can be stored inapplication-specific configuration files such as UNIX resource files, orthey can be stored in a central registry such as the Windows® registryfile. The applications access these configuration files to retrieve thevalues of their configuration parameters.

If certain configuration parameters have incorrect values, then theapplications may exhibit an undesired behavior. For example, if thevalue of a home page configuration parameter is not set correctly, thenwhen the browser application starts, it will exhibit an undesiredbehavior by not displaying a home page or displaying the wrong homepage. If a configuration parameter incorrectly indicates a certain texteditor should be invoked to process a graphics file, then the undesiredbehavior will be the incorrect display of the graphics content.Similarly, if a password configuration parameter has the wrong password,then failure to connect to the server will be the undesired behavior.

Because of the complexity of applications and their large number ofconfiguration parameters, it can be very time-consuming to troubleshoota problem and determine which configuration parameters are at fault forcausing an application to exhibit undesired behavior. Most users ofpersonal computers have difficulty performing this troubleshooting. As aresult, users typically rely on technical support personnel to assist introubleshooting. This technician-assisted troubleshooting not only canbe expensive, but users may also experience a significant productivityloss as a result of their inability to effectively use an applicationthat is exhibiting an undesired behavior.

Typically, technical support personnel use an ad-hoc approach totroubleshooting configuration problems. Such personnel generally useknowledge gained from experiencing similar problems and will try tonarrow in on the at-fault configuration parameter through a process ofelimination. This ad-hoc approach can take a considerable amount of timeand can take even longer if the problem is the result of a combinationof configuration parameters whose values are incorrect. In some cases,the technical support personnel may compare the values of theconfiguration parameters to “ideal” values for that application. Becauseof the large number of configuration parameters available and the largenumber of possible values for each configuration parameter, many of theconfiguration parameters will have no “ideal” value. Thus, technicalsupport personnel still need to review those values of the applicationthat are different from the ideal values.

A troubleshooting system for automatically identifying a configurationparameter that is at fault for causing an application to exhibit anundesired behavior is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/918,786, entitled “METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TROUBLESHOOTING AMISCONFIGURATION OF A COMPUTER SYSTEM BASED ON CONFIGURATIONS OF OTHERCOMPUTER SYSTEMS,” filed on Aug. 13, 2004, which is hereby incorporatedby reference. That troubleshooting system collects configurationinformation (e.g., configuration parameter names and their values) fromcomputer systems that may have the same application installed. Thetroubleshooting system then analyzes the configuration parameters of theapplication that is exhibiting the undesired behavior and theconfiguration parameters collected from the other computer systems.Based on this analysis, the troubleshooting system identifies whichconfiguration parameter is likely to be at fault for causing theundesired behavior.

The retrieving of configuration information from other computer systemsmay raise privacy and integrity issues. The privacy issues may relate toconfiguration information such as listings of web sites visited,passwords, and so on that a user may not want to divulge. The integrityissues arise when a computer system lies about its configurationinformation. The lie may be promulgated because the user of the computersystem is malicious or because the integrity of the computer system hasbeen compromised, for example, by a virus or worm.

It would be desirable to have a system that would allow for theretrieval of information, such as configuration information, from othercomputer systems in a way that would preserve the privacy of theinformation and help ensure the integrity of the retrieved information.

SUMMARY

A method and system for retrieving data from devices in a way that seeksto preserve privacy and ensure the integrity of the retrieved data isprovided. A retrieval system is implemented on a network of devices thatcommunicate with each other via a secure communications link. Eachdevice is directly connected to one or more “friend” devices that ittrusts. The retrieval system operates by forwarding a request for datafrom one friend device to another friend device. Each friend device mayoptionally add data to the request until all the requested data isadded. The request is then returned to the device that initiated therequest. The retrieval system defines requests that do not include ahistory of the devices through which a request has traveled; that is,the requests are “historyless.” As a result, a device will only know forsure that a particular request traveled through the friend devices fromwhich it received the request and to which it forwarded the request. Inaddition, because devices may or may not add data to a request, a devicethat receives a request from a friend device will not know whether therequest includes data of the friend device. Because each device selectsthe next device to which to send a request, the requests do not identifythe devices that will add data; that is, the requests are “futureless.”

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a network diagram illustrating the connections between frienddevices.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating components of the informationretrieval system in one embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating the processing of the startretrieval component in one embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a request data structure in oneembodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating the processing of the receiverequest component in one embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating the processing of the updaterequest data component in one embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram illustrating the processing of the forwardrequest component in one embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram illustrating the processing of the receivereturned request component in one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A method and system for retrieving data from devices in a way that seeksto preserve privacy and ensure the integrity of the retrieved data isprovided. In one embodiment, a retrieval system is implemented on anetwork of devices (e.g., computer systems) that communicate with eachother via a secure communications link. Each device is directlyconnected to one or more “friend” devices that it trusts. Friend deviceshave some relationship that allows each device to trust that the otherdevices will not intentionally provide incorrect data when requested.For example, the relationship may be that the owners of the devices aresocial acquaintances, that the users of the devices are within the samedepartment of an organization, that the owners of the devices are in thesame profession, and so on. The retrieval system operates by forwardinga request for data from one friend device to another friend device. Forexample, if device A receives a request for data, it may forward thatrequest to device B, which is its friend. Device B may in turn forwardthat request to its friend, device C. Devices A and B are friends, anddevices B and C are friends. Devices A and C are, however, notnecessarily friends. In particular, if device A forwards a request todevice C directly, device C may intentionally provide incorrect data inreturn. In contrast, since devices B and C are friends, device C willnot intentionally provide incorrect data when the request is forwardedby device B. The retrieval system defines requests that do not include ahistory of the devices through which a request has traveled; that is,the requests are “historyless.” As a result, a device will only know forsure that a particular request traveled through the friend devices fromwhich it received the request and to which it forwarded the request.Because each device selects the next device to which to send a request,the requests do not identify the devices that will add data; that is,the requests are “futureless.” The retrieval system thus relies on a“recursive” trust model in which each device only forwards requests toand receives requests from friend devices. The trust model is notnecessarily “transitive” because two devices that each trust a commondevice may not necessarily trust each other.

In one embodiment, a device that wants to retrieve information fromother devices creates a request and forwards it to a friend device. Therequest describes the data that is to be retrieved. For example, in thecase of configuration information, the request may contain theconfiguration parameter names for which values are to be retrieved fromthe devices (referred to as sample or helper devices). When a frienddevice receives the request, it may add its values for thoseconfiguration parameters to the request. The friend device then forwardsthe request to its friend device. The process of forwarding the requestfrom friend device to friend device continues until the requested numberof devices has added their data to the request. The device that adds thefinal data to the request returns the request to the friend device fromwhich it received the request. That friend device returns the request tothe friend device from which it received the request and so on until therequest is returned to the device that originated the request.Alternatively, a friend device may signal its willingness to add databut defer adding the data to a request until the request is returned toit on its way back to the device that originated the request. In thisway, each friend device will only have access to data added by those whohave already returned the request, rather than to all the data that iseventually added to the request.

To protect the anonymity of a particular device that adds data to therequest, only data that does not reveal the identity of a device isincluded in a request. For example, a configuration parameter for a username would not be included in a request. Furthermore, a friend devicemay selectively decide whether to add its data to a request, but it willnot intentionally give incorrect data. The friend device may use aprobability distribution to control whether it should add its data tothe request. For example, a device may only want to add its data to 10%of randomly selected requests. This selective adding of data to requestshelps ensure that a “friend” device that is malicious cannot ascertainthe configuration parameters of that device by sending requests to thedevice indicating that data from only one more device is needed. Inaddition, the probability may be decreased when the remaining count islow to help prevent a malicious device from inferring the data ofanother device by repeatedly sending requests with a small remainingcount. By decreasing the probability, the data returned to the maliciousdevice will have a low probability of including data of that device.Each device may also randomly select one of its friend devices to whichit will forward a request, which results in a random walk through thedevices. In addition, a device may delay in returning or forwarding arequest to make it difficult for a malicious “friend” device to use thetiming information to determine whether that device added data to therequest. For example, the delay may be randomly selected from the delayinherent in the processing of the request by 5 to 15 devices so thatfrom the timing it cannot be inferred whether 1 or 15 devices processedthe request.

FIG. 1 is a network diagram illustrating the connections between frienddevices. Devices 101-112 are connected to their friend devices viacommunications links illustrated by the solid lines. For example, device101 is connected to friend devices 102 and 105. Device 101 is, however,not a friend of devices 103-104 and 106-112. The dashed lines indicatethe path a request travels as it is forwarded from friend device tofriend device. In this example, a request originates at device 101 andspecifies to retrieve data from five devices (referred to as the samplecount). Device 101 initially forwards the request to device 102, whichmay have been randomly selected from devices 102 and 105. Upon receivingthe request, device 102 decides that it will not add its data to therequest; that is, it is not a sample device or a helper, but rather itis simply a forwarder. Device 102 may not have the requested data or itsprobability distribution indicates that it should not add data to therequest. Device 102 forwards the request to device 107, which may havebeen randomly selected from among devices 103, 106, and 107. Uponreceiving the request, device 107 adds its data to the request andforwards the request to device 104, which may have been randomlyselected from among devices 103, 104, and 108. Upon receiving therequest, device 104 adds its data to the request and forwards it todevice 108. Device 108 adds its data to the request and initiallyattempts to forward to device 107, which may have been randomly selectedfrom among devices 107, 111, and 112. Upon receiving the request, device107 notes that it already has received that request and responds todevice 108 that it cannot handle the request. Upon receiving theresponse, device 108 forwards the request to device 111, which may berandomly selected from among devices 111 and 112. Upon receiving therequest, device 111 adds its data to the request and forwards it todevice 110, which may be randomly selected from among devices 110 and112. Upon receiving the request, device 110 may decide not to add itsdata to the request, for example, because it is too busy performing someother task, and forwards the request to device 106, which may berandomly selected from among devices 106 and 109. Device 106, uponreceiving the request, adds its data to the request and then detectsthat all the requested data has been added because a remaining samplecount has been decremented to zero. Device 106 then returns the requestto device 110, which returns the request to device 111, and so on untilthe request is returned to device 101, which originated the request.

Referring again to FIG. 1, if device 107 had initially forwarded therequest to device 103 rather than device 104, device 103 would have nofriend device to which to forward the request. In such case, device 103would return the request to device 107. Device 107 would recognize thatthe request does not have all the requested data (e.g., remaining countgreater than zero) and would forward the request to one of its otherfriend devices or return the request to device 102 so that it couldforward the request to one of its other friend devices, such as device106. In this way, a request can travel around the network from frienddevice to friend device and when a device has no friend device to whichto forward the request, the request is returned to the friend devicefrom which it was received. A friend device that does not want toprocess a request, for example, because it is too busy, can simplyrespond to a request with a negative acknowledgement. The devicereceiving the negative acknowledgement can send the request to anotherfriend device or return the request.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating components of the informationretrieval system in one embodiment. In one embodiment, each device thatparticipates in the information retrieval includes a start retrievalcomponent 201, a receive request component 202, and a receive returnedrequest component 203. Each device also includes a request data store204, a configuration parameter store 205, and a friend list 206. Thestart retrieval component is used to originate a request to retrievedata from other devices. In this example, the data to be retrieved isconfiguration parameter data. The start retrieval component may randomlyselect a friend device from the friend list and forward the request tothat friend device. The request may include a list of configurationparameters that are to be retrieved and a remaining count of the numberof devices from which the data is to be retrieved. The receive requestcomponent receives requests from friend devices, adds data to therequests as appropriate, and forwards the requests to friend devicesthat may be randomly selected from the friend list. The receive returnedrequest component receives requests that are returned from a frienddevice and returns those requests to the sending friend device. Therequest data store contains information describing each request that hasbeen forwarded from this device to another device. The information mayinclude for each request, the request itself, the previous device (i.e.,the device from whom the request was received), and the next device(i.e., the device to whom the request was forwarded). The configurationparameter store contains the configuration information of the device.One skilled in the art will appreciate that certain devices may not havea need to originate requests and thus would not need the start retrievalcomponent.

The computing devices on which the retrieval system may be implementedinclude a central processing unit, memory, input devices (e.g., keyboardand pointing devices), output devices (e.g., display devices), andstorage devices (e.g., disk drives). The memory and storage devices arecomputer-readable media that may contain instructions that implement theretrieval system. In addition, data structures and message structuresmay be stored or transmitted via a data transmission medium, such as asignal on a communications link. Various communications links may beused, such as the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network,or a point-to-point dial-up connection.

The retrieval system may be implemented using various computing systems,environments, and configurations, such as personal computers, servercomputers, hand-held or laptop devices, multiprocessor systems,microprocessor-based systems, programmable consumer electronics, networkPCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, routers, switches, distributedcomputing environments that include any of the above systems or devices,and the like.

The retrieval system may be described in the general context ofcomputer-executable instructions, such as program modules, executed byone or more computers or other devices. Generally, program modulesinclude routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, and soon that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract datatypes. Typically, the functionality of the program modules may becombined or distributed as desired in various embodiments. The term“application” refers to any type of executing software such as drivers,kernel-mode code, operating systems, system utilities, web servers,database servers, and so on.

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram that illustrates the processing of the startretrieval component in one embodiment. The start retrieval component maybe passed the names of the configuration parameters that are to beretrieved from the other devices. In block 301, the componentinitializes the request with the names of the configuration parameters.In block 302, the component invokes an update request data component tooptionally add the values of the configuration parameters to therequest. In block 303, the component sets the remaining count of devicesfrom which the data is to be retrieved, which initially is the totalcount of devices from which the data is to be retrieved. The remainingcount of devices is decremented by each device that adds its data to therequest. In block 304, the component stores a request identifier in therequest. The request identifier may be generated by a one-way functionthat combines a nonce and some combination of the configurationparameter names. In block 305, the component stores the request. Inblocks 306-309, the component loops, selecting a friend device andforwarding the request to the friend device until a friend deviceacknowledges that it can process the request. In block 306, thecomponent randomly selects a friend device. In decision blocked 307, ifall the friend devices have already been selected, then no availablefriend device has been found and the component returns an errorindication, else the component continues at block 308. In block 308, thecomponent forwards the request to the selected friend device. Indecision block 309, if an acknowledgment is received from the frienddevice, then the component continues at block 310, else the componentloops to block 306 to select a next friend device. In block 310, thecomponent records the selected friend device as the next friend deviceto which the request was forwarded and then returns an indication of OK.

TABLE 1 Name Original Sample1 Sample2 Sample3 Sample4 Sample5.jpg/contentType image/jpeg image/jpeg image/jpeg image/jpeg image/jpegimage/jpeg .htc/contentType null text/x-comp Text/x-comp Text/x-comptext/x-comp text/x-comp url-visited yahoo hotmail Nytimes SFGate googlefriendster

Table 1 illustrates values for various configuration parameters thathave been collected. In this example, data for three configurationparameters (e.g., “.jpg/contentType”) are being retrieved. The retrievalsystem retrieved sample values from five sample computer systems foreach configuration parameter. Each sample computer system may havesimply incremented a count for values already added to the request. Forexample, a count of 5 may be associated with the value of “image/jpeg”for the first parameter because all five samples have the same value.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a request data structure in oneembodiment. In this example, the request data structure includes a row401-403 for each configuration parameter. Each row contains the name ofthe configuration parameter and a column for each unique value of thatconfiguration parameter of the helpers who added data to the request. Inthis example, the first value column indicates the values of theoriginating device and a count of each sample device or helper that hadthat same value. In an alternate embodiment, the originating device maynot include its values in a request or it may include a randomlygenerated set of values for the configuration parameters so that thenext device cannot ascertain the values of the originating device. Anydevice could add a random set of values to the request so long as itsubtracts those values when the request is returned. As new values for aconfiguration parameter are encountered on sample devices, new columnsmay be added to the data structure. If a column for a value alreadyexists, then its count is incremented by each sample device that hasthat value. One skilled in the art will appreciate that this datastructure represents a logical organization of the information that isretrieved and may be physically organized using variable length arrays,linked lists, pointers, and other data types.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram that illustrates the processing of the receiverequest component in one embodiment. This component receives a requestfrom a friend device, selectively adds its data to the request, andforwards the request to a friend device as appropriate. In decisionblock 501, if a request with the same request identifier has beenencountered before by this device, then the component sends a negativeacknowledgment in block 511 and then completes (to prevent loops), elsethe component continues at block 502. The component may also send anegative acknowledgment if it is too busy or for some other reason doesnot want to handle the request. In block 502, the component sends anacknowledgment. In block 503, the component stores the request data andan indication of the previous device in the request data store. Thisinformation is used when returning a request to the previous device. Thedevice may use the request data to ensure that the request that isreturned is consistent with the stored request data. For example, thedevice may ensure that the count of the configuration parameter valuesin the returned request is consistent with the remaining count ofdevices. The device may also check that additional configurationparameter names have not been added or removed. This checking helpsensure that a malicious device did not intentionally add incorrect data.In decision block 504, if this device is to be a helper, then thecomponent continues at block 505, else the component continues at block506. This device may be a helper device based on a probabilitydistribution and based on whether this device actually has the requesteddata. In block 505, the component invokes the update request componentto add the requested data to the request. In block 506, the componentdelays an amount of time. This delay may be based on the remaining countof devices. That is, the delay may be longer when the remaining devicecount is smaller. One skilled in the art will also appreciate that adelay may also be introduced when handling a returned request. Indecision block 507, if the remaining count is zero, then this is thelast device to add its data to the request and the component continuesat block 510, else the component continues at block 508. In block 508,the component invokes the forward request component to forward therequest to a friend device. In decision block 509, if the request wassuccessfully forwarded, the component completes, else the componentcontinues at block 510. In block 510, the component returns the requestto the previous device and then completes.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram that illustrates the processing of the updaterequest data component in one embodiment. This component is passed arequest and updates the request data structure based on the values ofthe configuration parameters of this device. In block 601, the componentselects the next configuration parameter of the request. In decisionblock 602, if all the configuration parameters of the request havealready been selected, then the component returns, else the componentcontinues at block 603. In block 603, the component retrieves the valuefor the selected configuration parameter. In decision block 604, if thevalue for the selected configuration parameter is already in the datastructure, then the component continues at block 606, else the componentcontinues at block 605. In block 605, the component adds the value tothe request with a count of zero and then continues at block 606. Inblock 606, the component increments the value count and then loops toblock 601 to select the next configuration parameter of the request.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram that illustrates the processing of the forwardrequest component in one embodiment. This component is passed a requestand forwards the request to a randomly selected friend device. In block701, the component randomly selects a friend device. In block 702, thecomponent forwards the request to the selected friend device. In block703, the component waits for an acknowledgment from the friend device.In decision block 704, if the request is acknowledged, then thecomponent continues at block 705, else the component returns anindication that the request was not forwarded. In block 705, thecomponent records the selected friend device as the next friend devicein the request data store and then returns an indication that therequest was forwarded.

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram that illustrates the processing of the receivereturned request component in one embodiment. This component is passed arequest that has been returned from a friend device. In decision block801, if this device forwarded the request to the friend device fromwhich the request is being returned, then the component continues atblock 802, else something is wrong with the returned request (e.g., a“friend” device is acting maliciously) so the device ignores it and thecomponent completes. In block 802, the component validates the data ofthe request. This validation may include checking to ensure that theconfiguration parameters of the request are consistent with theconfiguration parameters of the request that were initially forwardedand that the counts of values are consistent with the remaining count.In decision block 803, if the data of the request is valid, thecomponent continues at block 805, else the component continues at block804. In block 804, the component updates the request data to indicatethat it is invalid. In decision block 805, if this device is theoriginator of the request, then the component continues at block 806,else the component continues at block 807. In block 806, the componentsaves the data of the request for further processing (e.g., by thetroubleshooting system) and then completes. In block 807, the componentreturns the request to the previous device as indicated by the requestdata store and then completes.

One skilled in the art will appreciate that although specificembodiments of the retrieval system have been described herein forpurposes of illustration, various modifications may be made withoutdeviating from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, adevice may split a request and send the split request (with a portion ofthe remaining count) to multiple friend devices. When the requests arereturned, the device can combine them into a single request to bereturned. This splitting introduces parallelism into the retrieval. Inorder to prevent two devices from colluding against a common friend, adevice may add random noise to a request, which can be filtered out bythe originator. Although this may only provide a statisticalapproximation of the retrieved data, it may be sufficient for theoriginator but insufficient for the colluder to infer the data of theircommon “friend.”

A Sybil-type attack may occur when a malicious “friend” device simplyupdates the data of the request to look like the remaining count ofdevices added their data and returns it or forwards the request to adevice with which it is conspiring. In either case, the returned data islikely to be incorrect. To counteract the effects of a Sybil attack, theretrieval system may send a request to multiple friend devices in hopesthat most of them will return correct data. When each friend devicereturns the data that is collected, the retrieval system can analyze thedata and select data that is represented by the majority of the returnedrequests. Each device may also have a confidence factor associated witheach “friend” device indicating the degree of confidence in thefriendship. The retrieval system may factor in these confidence factors,which may be added to the returned data by each device, in determiningwhich returned request is likely to have the most correct data.

The data of a request may be encrypted to help ensure the privacy of theinformation. For example, the originating device may include a publickey of a private/public key pair in the request. Each device that addsdata to the request may encrypt its data with the public key. Theoriginating device can use its private key to decrypt the data. Withsuch encryption, only the originating device will have access to theunencrypted data. The retrieval system may be used to collect any typeof data from friend devices. Accordingly, the invention is not limitedexcept by the appended claims.

1. A method for retrieving data from devices, at each device the methodcomprising: receiving from a previous device a request for data; whenthis device is to provide the requested data, updating the request withrequested data; when the request includes all the requested data,returning to the previous device the updated request; when the requestdoes not include all the requested data, forwarding to a next device theupdated request; and when this device is not to provide requested data,forwarding to a next device the request; and when a request is returnedfrom the next device, returning to the previous device the returnedrequest; wherein the data is configuration parameter data and whereinthe device is to provide requested data based on a probabilitydistribution.
 2. The method of claim 1 including starting retrieval ofdata by sending a request to a next device and when the request isreturned from the next device, detecting that the retrieval started atthis device.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein this device is not toprovide requested data when it does not have the requested data.
 4. Themethod of claim 1 wherein this device delays in returning a request toprevent the previous device from ascertaining whether this deviceprovided the requested data.
 5. The method of claim 4 wherein the delayis based on how many more devices need to provide requested data.
 6. Themethod of claim 1 wherein the request includes a count of how manydevices are to provide the requested data.
 7. The method of claim 1wherein the request includes a unique identifier.
 8. The method of claim1 wherein the request includes the identity of only the previous device.9. The method of claim 1 wherein a device that starts the retrieval addsdata to the requested data to make it difficult for another device toascertain which device started the retrieval.
 10. The method of claim 1wherein the requested data is value of parameters, and the updating ofthe request includes for each parameter incrementing a countcorresponding to the value of this device for the parameter.
 11. Themethod of claim 10 wherein the parameters are configuration parameters.12. The method of claim 1 wherein a device randomly selects the nextdevice to forward the request.
 13. The method of claim 1 wherein eachdevice forwards a request to only trusted devices.
 14. The method ofclaim 13 wherein the trust relationship is recursive.
 15. The method ofclaim 1 wherein the request is forwarded over a secure communicationpath to the next device.
 16. The method of claim 1 wherein if a requesthas previously been received by this device, then this device respondsto the sender device that it is not providing the requested data. 17.The method of claim 1 wherein the request is historyless and futureless.18. A network of devices that provide requested data, comprising: aplurality of devices that each receives from previous devices requestsfor requested data, selectively updates the request with the requesteddata, forwards the request to a next device, receives the returnedrequest from the next device, and returns the received returned requestto the previous device; and a communications link connecting each deviceto a previous device and a next device; wherein the requested data isconfiguration parameter data and wherein the device is to provideselective updating based on a probability distribution.
 19. The networkof claim 18 wherein a request only identifies the device forwarding orreturning the request.
 20. The network of claim 18 wherein each deviceforwards requests only to devices that it trusts.
 21. The network ofclaim 20 wherein the trust relationship is recursive.
 22. The network ofclaim 18 wherein a device selectively delays forwarding requests to helpprevent another device from detecting whether that device updated therequest.
 23. The network of claim 18 wherein each device selects thenext device.
 24. The network of claim 23 wherein a device randomlyselects the next device.
 25. A computer-readable storage mediumcontaining instructions for controlling a device to participate inretrieval of data, by a method comprising: determining whether data isto be provided to a request for data; when it is determined that data isto be provided, adding data to the request; selectively forwarding therequest for data to a next device to provide additional data; andreturning to a previous device the request with added data; wherein thedata is configuration parameter data and wherein the device is toprovide requested data based on a probability distribution.
 26. Thecomputer-readable storage medium of claim 25 wherein the request isforwarded when not all requested data has been provided.
 27. Thecomputer-readable storage medium of claim 25 wherein the request is notforwarded when all the requested data has been provided.
 28. Thecomputer-readable storage medium of claim 25 including randomlyselecting a next device.
 29. The computer-readable storage medium ofclaim 25 wherein the returning occurs when the request is returned fromthe next device.
 30. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 25wherein the returning occurs when the adding of the data to the requestresults in all requested data being provided.
 31. The computer-readablestorage medium of claim 25 wherein the forwarding includes delaying theforwarding so that it appears the request may have been forwarded by thedevice to other devices before forwarding to the next device.
 32. Thecomputer-readable storage medium of claim 25 wherein the returningincludes delaying the returning so that it appears the request may havebeen forwarded by the device to other devices before returning to theprevious device.
 33. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 25wherein the probability decreases as the data previously added to therequest nears all the requested data.